Brazzaville, 8 June 2005 -- A consultative meeting organized to guide WHO’s action in the African Region ended Wednesday in Brazzaville with participants agreeing on the objectives, priorities and strategic orientations which should help chart the path of WHO action in Africa over the next five years.

The general objective of WHO action in the region is to support Member States to address their priorities through the provision of technical support taking into account the recommendations of the country cooperation strategy documents, the WHO Eleventh General Programme of Work (2006–2015), the NEPAD Health Strategy and the Millennium Development Goals.

WHO support will be provided in the framework of its core functions especially those related to setting health norms and standards for management as well as technical assistance. .

Participants also agreed on the priorities for WHO action . These include strengthening WHO country offices, planning and support for district and community health systems, scaling up essential health interventions, increased preparedness and response to epidemics and emergencies, and building multisectoral collaboration and partnerships for health.

Broad strategic orientations were agreed at the two-day meeting. These are the strengthening of WHO support to countries, continued delegation of authority to WHO representatives regarding day-to-day management of WHO country offices, re-organization of WHO inter-country teams and improved efficiency and accountability in WHO actions.

Other orientations are related to the areas of strengthening health systems and policies.

WHO Director-General Emeritus, Dr Halfdan Mahler, expressed satisfaction with the outcome of the consultation and expressed confidence that implementation of the strategic orientations will significantly help improve the health indicators in Africa over time.

Speaking in the same vein, two former WHO Regional Directors for Africa, Drs Ebrahim Samba and Gottlieb Monekosso, affirmed that the health status of the estimated 560 million Africans south of the Sahara will move closer to WHO goal of “health for all” if the recommendations in the “superbly created strategic orientations document are implemented”.

Closing the meeting, incumbent WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Luis Sambo, reiterated his determination to ensure WHO responsiveness to country needs for better health outcomes, enhance efficiency and effectiveness of WHO support to countries, and strengthen WHO leadership role in health.

He also acknowledged the contribution of all participants and renewed his earlier pledge to consolidate and build on the concrete achievements of his predecessors in office.

Personalities present at the meeting included two former Directors of Programme Management at the Regional Office, Prof. Ayite M. d’Almeida and Dr A. Kone-Diabi, incumbent Director of Programme Management, Dr Paul-Samson Lusamba-Dikassa, WHO Assistant Director-General for Communicable Diseases, Dr Aanarfi Asamoa-Baah, WHO Assistant Director-General for Family and Community Health, Mrs Joy Phumaphi, the Director-General of Uganda’s Health Services, Prof. Francis Omaswa and Prof. Eric. Buch, Health Adviser , NEPAD.

For further information contact: 

Samuel T. Ajibola

Tél: + 47 241 39378

Email : ajibolas [at] afro.who.int (ajibolas[at]afro[dot]who[dot]int)